Nottingham residents have been warned about a spate of scams after a number of people have been conned out of hundreds of pounds.
Nottingham City Council says there has been a number of recent cases where scammers have deceived elderly, lonely and vulnerable people into handing over cash.
One elderly lady was tricked into paying £600 per month to enter a hoax Australian lottery.
The scammers then convinced her she was a winner of millions of pounds – and she was told she would go to Australia to collect the money.
The lady’s bank accounts are now being controlled and safeguarded by a third party as she was at risk of losing her home by continually responding to hoax competitions.
Another victim of the bogus Australian lottery said: “After we stopped sending money to those scam people, they sent us a £10 note in the post as a sweetener to encourage us to carry on with their scam, but we won’t be doing it any more.
“Those scammers are abusing people. We’re saving the money we would have sent to the scammers and are planning a holiday instead.”
The council says people should watch out for fraudulent scams received via post, the internet and by telephone.
The Community Protection Trading Standards Service, which works to combat scammers, said in some cases scammers even turned up at victims’ homes.
The scammers have even posed as police and Trading Standards Officers and told the victims their bank accounts were at risk from other fraudsters, the Service said.
And the scammers attempted to hoodwink victims into giving them their bank and card details to protect their money.
The Community Protection Trading Standards Service (CPTSS) is supporting city residents targeted by lottery scams, bogus phone calls, and hoax dating adverts.
The city council is reminding people to keep an eye out for scammers during Scams Awareness Month this July.
The CPTSS is also working with the National Trading Standards Scams Team to protect Nottingham residents found to be on scammers’ mailing lists.
A city council spokesman said: “To help combat scams in the Nottingham city area, residents are being asked to remain vigilant and to speak out about the issue.
“Scammers rely on secrecy, fear and their target being too embarrassed to report the matter in order to keep the scam going.”
Watchdogs say scammers make billions of pounds from UK residents each year.
Any information regarding a scam can be reported in confidence via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 or by using the online reporting form here.
Further information and advice about scams is also available by visiting the Think Jessica website.
